Most houses built today employ lumber stick construction using 2X dimensional structural lumber members and nails. The 2X4 structural lumber member is the most common element of this type of building construction. Another construction approach gaining increased acceptance involves the use of Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) comprised of a generally planar inner insulating core and first and second outer facings attached to opposed surfaces of the insulating core. Even SIP construction makes use of the 2X stick construction approach for standard openings in the building such as for window and door openings and, in particular, the base and top plates of these types of openings. SIPs are best used in uninterrupted areas without openings requiring cut-outs. Providing openings and odd cuts in a SIP requires rather precise cutting of the SIP to form a groove in the panel which is adapted to receive a 2X dimensional structural lumber member. This procedure is labor intensive and thus increases the cost and time of construction. There is therefore a need to make structural insulated panels more readily adapted for use in 2X dimensional lumber construction.
This invention addresses the aforementioned limitations of the prior art by providing a structural insulated panel with an overall thickness the same as that of 2X dimensional structural lumber members and a panel connecting arrangement which facilitates installation of the panel in structures employing 2X lumber stick construction.